GENERAL NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 58, 30 August 1911, Page 7

GENERAL NEWS

"Why did you decline to accept the honor Oxford and other Universities Bought to confer upon you?" as>ked a pressman of Mr Andrew Fisher, Federal Prime Minister, on the lattcr's arrival in Fremantle. Mr. Fisher answered: "Well, 1 do not like to sail under 'false colors. The degree of 'doctor' implies scholastic attainment* to which I can make no pretence. I respect the desire to honor my position, and Australia, in this way; but I may not always have the honor of the position, and the degree of 'doctor' being personal and not attaching to the position would be a farce as applied to me." A German professor believes he has found a way to remove the smoke nuisance in connection with factory chimneys. The professor's chimney is perforated on all sides by little horizontal windows. As the furnace smoke and gases rise they are mixed with air, both before and after emergence, by the eddy-forming action of the wand passing through the openings. From the time the smoke enters the chimney and reaches the height of the lower openings, which receive the wind from any quarter, the intermingling begins and! in each stage of its upward movement the volume becomes less and less. At the mouth of the chimney the outpour, it is said, is comparatively small, and so diluted with air that only a sheet of dark blue smoke is seem.'

Arising out of a discussion at a recent meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Cricket Association on the 'manner in which cricket would j be affected if the military training parades announced were held on the dates fixed, a Christchurch deputation waited on Colonel Hawkins, officer commanding the district. The' deputation painted out that 110 players would be affected if the dates fixed for the train* ing parades were adhered to. Colonel Hawkins was assured by the deputation that the association"' heartily supported military training, and was willing to assist by every means in its, power to make it a' success. Ait the same time it was desired that full consideration should be given to cricketers. Colonel Hawkins said that he would go thoroughly into the matter, and would advise the associa- | tion later of the decision arrived at. He expressed the opinion that the military authorities, from the commandant down- | wardfe would be willing to assist the | cricketers if it were at all practicable. After having transacted business in ! several public bars in Christchurch the ! other day, a man found himself in a state that precluded him obtaining any alcoholic liquor, and entering a hotel he found the barman adamant. He thereupon seized a loaf of bread from a table, broke it in two and commenced to eat it furiously, pressing it into his mouth with both hands. It was then considered that | he required fresh air, and three men oast i him out into the cold, cold world, where Ivc fell to the ground and raised his voice. | His cries l drew a crowd about him who heard anxiously his yells: "I'm starving —l'm starving! Give me bread. Is there a God in Heaven? Oh, let me die. I'm Btarving. Give me bread. Is there a God 1 ? I doubt it." The man's condition seemed SO; serious that medical assistance was suggested, but before the proposal could be carried into effect two constables appeared to succour the terror- • stricken man. The two officers advanced to the man's side, and a brief examination brought forth the laconic diagnosis "Beer." He was placed in a taxi-cab, an empty beer-bottle falling from his pocket as tlie constables raised him to convey him to the cells, where he might recover from his starvation and excess of alcohol and prepare to reap hk reward in the morning.